Phormium plant named ‘Joker’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of hybrid  Phormium  named ‘Joker’ that is characterized by its foliage that is variegated with centers that are green-bronze and margins that are bright red with a very thin strip of bronze on the leaf edge, its upright to slightly arching plant habit, and its medium plant height relative to other cultivars of  Phormium.

Botanical classification: Phormium cookianum×Phormium tenax.

Cultivar designation: ‘Joker’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phormiumnamed ‘Joker’, an interspecific hybrid of Phormium cookianum×Phormiumtenax and referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Joker’. The newcultivar is grown for use as a foliage plant for landscape and containeruse.

The Inventor discovered the new cultivar summer of 2000 as a naturallyoccurring chimeral mutation of Phormium ‘Jester’ (not patented) in acontainer block in his nursery in Auckland, New Zealand.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished bydivision in autumn of 2000 in Auckland, New Zealand by the Inventor.Asexual propagation by division has determined that the characteristicsof the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Joker’ as a new and unique cultivar of Phormium.

-   -   1. ‘Joker’ exhibits foliage that is variegated with centers that        are green-bronze and margins that are bright red with a very        thin strip of bronze on the leaf edge.    -   2. ‘Joker’ exhibits an upright to slightly arching plant habit.    -   3. ‘Joker’ exhibits a medium plant height relative to other        cultivars of Phormium; reaching 60 to 90 cm in height.

‘Joker’ can be compared to the parent plant, ‘Jester’. ‘Jester’ differsfrom ‘Joker’ in having foliage that is variegated with lime-greenmargins and red-pink centers and paler in overall color (even paler onthe lower leaf surface), a smaller plant size, a more arching planthabit, and a slower growth rate. ‘Joker’ can be most closely compared tothe cultivars ‘Rainbow Queen’ (not patented) and ‘Jubilee’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. 19,059). Both are similar to ‘Joker’ in having leaves with redand green-bronze variegation. ‘Rainbow Queen’ differs from ‘Joker’ inhaving foliage with paler green-bronze centers with a thin palerred-pink margin and in having a more upright plant habit (P. tenaxhabit). ‘Jubilee’ differs from ‘Joker’ in having foliage with a lowerleaf surface that is more solid red in color and in having a more openand arching plant habit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Phormium. The photographs weretaken of a two year-old plant of ‘Joker’ as grown outdoors in a gardenin Auckland, New Zealand.

FIG. 1 provides a side view of ‘Joker’.

FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the young foliage of ‘Joker’.

FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the mature foliage of ‘Joker’.

The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describethe colors of the new Phormium.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of two year-old plants of thenew cultivar as grown outdoors in one gallon containers in Auckland, NewZealand. The plants were grown under average day temperatures of 20° to27° C. and average night temperatures. of 12° to 20° C. The phenotype ofthe new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic,and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance withThe 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London,England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—No flower production has been observed.        -   Plant type.—Perennial, evergreen.        -   Plant habit.—Clump-forming, upright and slightly arching.        -   Height and spread.—Reaches 60 to 90 cm in height and 30 to            40 cm in width when grown in one gallon containers.        -   Hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Zones 9a to 10b, tolerant to high            temperatures of 40° C. and low temperatures of −5° C.        -   Diseases and pests.—No unique susceptibility or resistance            to diseases or pests has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous with some larger fleshy roots, 2            to 4 mm in diameter, vigorous, 14D in color.        -   Propagation.—Division.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate with a moderate rate of new fan            development (medium in comparison to other cultivars of            Phormium), produces about 6 new fans from a single fan in 12            months of growth.        -   Root development.—Divisions take 6 to 8 weeks to develop new            roots when grown at 20° C.        -   Stem description.—Stem-less, leaves are equitant from base.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Lanceolate/Lorate.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Sheathed, overlapping.        -   Leaf apex.—Acuminate.        -   Leaf venation.—Parallel, not prominent, same color as            leaves, mid rib protruding on lower surface.        -   Leaf margins.—Entire.        -   Leaf attachment.—Sheathed, lacks petioles.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Equitant.        -   Leaf number.—Average of 15 as grown in a 12-cm container.        -   Leaf orientation.—Held upright and becomes slightly arching,            moderately concave with medium to sharp keel.        -   Leaf substance.—Stiff, leathery, durable.        -   Leaf surface.—Smooth with fine longitudinal lines, upper            surface satiny, lower surface slightly glaucous.        -   Leaf color.—Young leaves upper surface; centers 137A with            occasional thin stripes of 58B and 184C, outer edge of            leaves 58B and 184C with very thin margins 200C, young            leaves under surface; centers dulled N199B with occasional            stripes 58B, outer edge of leaves dulled 184B with very thin            margins 200C, mature leaves upper surface; centers 137A and            147A with occasional stripes of 58A, outer part of leaves            58B and 184B with very thin margins 200C, mature leaves            lower surface; centers: dulled 147A and N199B occasional            stripes of 58B and 184C, outer edge of leaves 180A and 58B            with a very thin margin 200C.        -   Leaf size.—50 to 90 cm in length and 3 to 4 cm in width.-   Flower description: No flowers have been observed to date for the    claimed plant.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Phormium plant named‘Joker’ as herein illustrated and described.